Boyd Interactive Beefs Up NJ Online Casino Offering with Resorts Digital Acquisition

Mark Giannantonio says Boyd's latest acquisition will take the company to a new level (Image: AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Boyd Interactive announced Monday that it had purchased Resorts Digital, adding two online casino brands to its New Jersey portfolio.

Resorts Digital was the online gambling division of Resorts Atlantic City. Both Resorts and Boyd confirmed that the transaction had been finalized on September 1, though neither side was willing to disclose the price of the acquisition. 

Boyd Interactive announced Monday that it had purchased Resorts Digital, adding two online casino brands to its New Jersey portfolio.

Resorts Digital was the online gambling division of Resorts Atlantic City. Both Resorts and Boyd confirmed that the transaction had been finalized on September 1, though neither side was willing to disclose the price of the acquisition. 

Boyd Snags Two Skins in New Jersey Online Gaming Market

In the deal, Boyd Interactive – a division of Boyd Gaming – will pick up both ResortsCasino.com and MoheganSunCasino.com. Meanwhile, Resorts Casino will still offer online gambling services in New Jersey through partners, including DraftKings, PokerStars, ESPN Bet, and Penn Gaming.

“The acquisition of Resorts Digital Gaming is consistent with Boyd Gaming’s strategy of building a profitable regional iGaming business integrated with our existing nationwide portfolio,” Boyd Interactive said in a statement. 

“New Jersey has long been one of the nation’s leading iGaming states, and we look forward to further growing our presence in that state’s online gaming market in partnership with Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.”

Resorts is among the smallest revenue generating casinos in Atlantic City, generating just $109 million in revenue in terms of in-person gambling during the first eight months of 2024. However, during the same period, Resorts Digital earned $391.5 million in revenue.

Boyd won’t be taking most of that money. The vast majority of the income from Resorts Digital came through DraftKings, which has won just over $330 million so far in 2024 while operating under a Resorts license in the state. Because online gambling revenue is often shared with partners, it’s unclear how much Resorts is making from this arrangement, highlighting why Atlantic City casinos still consider in-person gaming as their core business.

Meanwhile, ResortsCasino.com has posted $15.9 million in revenue in 2024 through August, while MoheganSunCasino.com has brought in about $8.5 million. 

Resorts Brands Will Continue to Promote Each Other

While Boyd will now own those two sites, the Resorts site will remain strongly tied to the physical casino in Atlantic City. The Resorts Digital brands will continue to operate using the gaming licenses held by Resorts Casino, and the two will engage in cross promotion of each other.

“We are confident that this transaction will propel Resorts Digital’s proven success over the past decade to a new level through the scale of Boyd Interactive and its market-leading platform,” Resorts President Mark Giannantonio said in a statement. “This marketing relationship will benefit both companies in the long term.”

Boyd Gaming launched Boyd Interactive in 2021. Since that time, the company has pointed to online casino and sports betting operations as a key growth area. 

“As iGaming continues to expand into new markets across the country, we believe the upside could become even more significant in the years ahead,” Boyd CEO and President Keith Smith said during an earnings call for the final quarter of 2021.